Former UFC Fighter Arrested For Murder In Drug Deal Gone Bad [PHOTOS]

Arizona police have long suspected former UFC fighter Homer Moore as the killer of a 19-year-old since 1999, but real life isn’t an episode of Castle where they can solve a crime between commercial breaks.

The fifteen year long investigation dragged on but detectives continued to build evidence on Moore and finally had enough probable cause to make an arrest for the murder of Karam Hussein Jabbar, yesterday April 23. The teen was found in the trunk of a car bound by his hands and feet with a bag over his head while Moore continued to make a name for himself in the MMA circuit, finishing with a career record of 26-9-2.

Jabbar’s body was found on Aug. 3, 1999 after he was reported missing over a week earlier. His decomposing corpse was found in the trunk of a car in a supermarket parking lot with his hands and feet bound and a bag over his head. The cause of death was asphyxiation, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The murder was a drug deal gone bad, authorities say.

According to news reports, Moore had been the prime suspect for years, but only now were cold case investigators able to collect enough information through witness statements to arrest him, Tempe police spokesman Michael Pooley told local media outlets.

In November 2001, after going 11-0 to begin his career, he was invited to compete in the UFC, where he took on future middleweight champion Evan Tanner. Moore lost by second-round armbar submission and never again returned to the Octagon. His career ledger includes fights with several other notables including Chael Sonnen, Dan Severn and Jeremy Horn.

As fate would have it, Moore was wearing a UFC “Ultimate Fighting” shirt at the time of his arrest. He is currently being held on $1 million bail.

Check out some of Moore’s highlight pictures in the gallery. He even conducted a MMA camp for youth back in the day. If the prosecutors find any inkling that Jabbar was associated with the camp, the case could be a done deal.